Nick Clegg has spoken of the impact of his rise to power on his wife, revealing that it was “extremely difficult” for her to see him coming under attack.

The Liberal Democrat leader said that his wife, Miriam González, an expert in international law, was a “very, very strong woman”.

Asked about the impact of becoming part of the coalition after the 2010 election, the Deputy Prime Minister leader said: “I think it’s extremely difficult sometimes for husbands and wives to see the person they love being either accused of this or traduced in that way or stereotyped in that